Gil Tepper, MD, medical director of the Miracle Mile Medical Center in Los Angeles led the surgery to successfully implant the first ActivL disc replacement device in California.
Here are four key notes on the procedure:
1. Surgeons Daniel Capen, MD, and Graham Mouw, MD, joined Dr. Tepper in performing the procedure.
2. The patient was a police officer who suffered degenerative disc collapse and chose the disc replacement as an alternative to fusion.
3. The ActivL is FDA approved and now available to patients at Miracle Mile Medical Center. The technology is used in the lumbar spine.
4. The patient was walking almost immediately after surgery and was discharged home the following day. He is expected to return to work soon.